Summer is gone and so goes play time, summer fun, vacations and the free-feeling attitude that comes with summer. It's back to school (good news for moms, not so much for students), full workweeks with heavier workloads, traffic as usual, and a more regimented schedule all around.

So maybe you're not the “bikini time - get into shape” type. Maybe you are more of a regimented work schedule type, and the end of summer is just what you need to get yourself back to exercise, eating well and more invested in your own health and fitness.

Training is essential to your mental and physical wellbeing – you know that. And with real life back in session, you are going to have to find added inspiration to manage a regular exercise regimen into your already busy schedule.

So let’s find some fall inspiration. How, even though you have been thinking about getting into better shape ‘forever’, do you finally make it happen?

1. Schedule in your workouts and let everyone who could throw off that schedule know your plan. Then get yourself committed by setting up training dates. I do this. I schedule in my workouts at the beginning of the week for the entire week and make dates with running/walking partners.

I book exercise classes, and make sure that I am committed to a minimum amount of training each week. Everyone is busy. So I make sure to get my training dates with others set ahead of time. And wherever possible I have regularly scheduled dates, which really works out well because I can schedule other things around it, knowing ahead of time that it’s there and I have someone else who is committed, too. And believe me, anyone who could get in the way of my training – whether I live or work with them – get's the heads up.

2. Think outside the gym to make it work in your schedule. You already know that you can get up 45 minutes earlier than before and get a really fabulous workout in. But if that’s truly asking too much of yourself, do half of your training before work and the rest when you get home. I made a workout video called AM/PM walking that is very popular. There are so many benefits to exercising morning and evening, and I highly recommend this at least once a week.

3. Tell yourself the truth - If you know that you won't feel like working out after a full day of whatever you do all day, here's another option: Do a really tough 20 - 25 minutes of training (intervals would be great) before you start your day and then do a strong, but not too intense, 20 – 25 minute walk at lunch time. There – you’re done for the day.

4. Get started and don’t look back. Don’t evaluate or judge your workouts (or even your missed workouts). Keep moving forward, keep the momentum going, and know that soon you, too, will be looking back only to see how far you have come, and how much you have changed.

Peace and Happy Trails -
Debbie Rocker

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